


Images of You

by outlawserenade



Category: Detective Comics (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Jason is a bigger stalker, JayTim Week 2018, Jaytim - Freeform, M/M, Timmy is a little stalker, both are dorks, soulmate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 22:05:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14090679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outlawserenade/pseuds/outlawserenade





	Images of You

**Day 7: Soulmate // ~~Space AU~~**

Tim saw his soulmate through a camera lens.

He was only a few months into his tenth year of life, and by all account, thought his brain was making it up. Wishful thinking, he thought. After all, the supposed soulmate he had seen was Batman's newest Robin. How could a guy be his soulmate?

Times changed. The new Robin, Jason Todd, was killed. At age 12, Tim became Robin, his mother died, his father got remarried.

On a whim, one day in cool September in the kitchen, Tim decided to ask Dana, his father's new wife, if she'd ever seen her soulmate. She said yes, "the instant I saw your father's photograph in a newspaper - years ago when he wedded your mom. But not all soulmates end up together, you know? Plus, I was in Arizona back then - there was no way I could meet your dad."

"What was it like?" Tim asked curiously. "I mean, I  _think_  I've seen my soulmate, but I couldn't be sure, you know?"

"Oh, Tim," Dana sighed dreamily. "It would sound cheesy, and I think every person has different perception of their soulmates. What I saw was kind of a halo behind your dad's head, and I checked against several people - there was  _no_  halo behind his head at all. My college roomie saw wings behind her soulmate in a photo. Another saw flowers, trucks, a puppy... it's always different for everyone, I think." she explained.

"What is this about soulmate?" Jack Drake, Tim's father, wanted to know as he walked in to the kitchen.

"I've-- I've just read somewhere that you can see your soulmate through a photo." Tim told him.

Jack snorted. "Timmy, you remember that photography was not invented until the 19th century, right? It's simply illogical to say one's soulmate could be seen through a photograph. What about those in the 18th century? What about the Greeks? The Romans? How would they know if they married their soulmates?" he scoffed as he retrieved a newspaper and flipped it open directly on the economic section.

"Yeah, I just thought it was a romantic thing that people told," Tim hedged.

"Wishful thinking, that's what it is. How about those models whose photos were digitally enhanced? How could their soulmate know they were 'the one'?" Jack continued, oblivious to the exchange of amused glares between Tim and Dana.

"Well, I would say that when you found The One, you'll know it, you know? History is filled with the glorious stories of those believing that their spouse is The One; but it's also filled with as many heartbreaks, right?" Dana remarked, ruffling Tim's head as she went to the sink. "I think the concept of 'soulmate' is something that was created to give people hope. That they have someone, somewhere, waiting for them; that they will never be alone. Maybe some  _did_  end up alone, after all, but at least they have that  _hope_ , still, in their hearts. Maybe it's that hope that makes us human, you know?"

"--and yet humankind continued to thrive; soulmate or otherwise. As long as they can feed, procreate, I'd say we're all fine without the superstitious mumbo-jumbo."

Dana winked at him from over his father's head. Tim cursorily wondered what his mother would have said of the matter, or the matter that Dana believed that she has eventually wedded  _her_  soulmate that is Jack Drake.

The second time Tim saw his soulmate, was when Batman and Nightwing were reviewing footages of the Red Hood. Without the villain even removing his helmet, Tim knew who it was.

As it was, Batman and Nightwing were equally reluctant to reveal who the Red Hood was. More reluctant, even, to let Tim go and face him. Until, unfortunately for all - Tim included - the Red Hood decided to  _go find him and face him_. In the Titans' Towers, no less.

It was hard and heartbreaking for Tim. His father had died, following the deaths of his two best friends. But his sense of self-preservation - some would argue that it was his  _lack_  of self-preservation - prevailed, and he fought. He fought hard. He'd lost, obviously. Fact is that Red Hood's -  _Jason's_  - arms and legs were twice the size of Tim's own. Fact is that - even at mere 18, Jason was nearly six feet to Tim's 5'5". Fact is that he was fueled by anger. And the biggest cause of said anger was Tim, who had replaced him - as he'd said.

Tim had always thought that he'd felt something soft, warm, and maybe a little wet, pressed gently to his forehead. But in his defense, he was a little unconscious, and maybe even concussed, by that time. Plus, the surveillance cameras in the tower had only caught Jason knelt by Tim's side after he'd knocked Tim unconscious.

There were more instances of their meets that ended up with a whole load of violence since then. But there were other instances where they had ended up side-by-side, or back-to-back, defending each other. Tim kept Jason at arm's length, while at the same time trying to figure out how to include Jason back into the ever-expanding family's fold.

Dana's words of 'maybe that hope is what makes us human' rang in his ears that night. Dana has long since gone, her psyche and memories forever ruined when Jack was murdered. Her sister in Tennessee had taken her over to care for her, and the only contact Tim had with her was the occasional texts from her sister, saying she's okay.

That night, he came in from his Wayne Enterprises office to find Jason perched on a windowsill.

"Long time no punching." Jason remarked.

Okay, that might or might not put Tim into fighting stance. Sure, Jason might have behaved generally  _fine_. But it's Jason, really. Highly unpredictable, mostly volatile and combustible, generally hating the BatFam. Except maybe Cassandra - Black Bat.

"You're not here to fight me or anything like that, are you?" Tim had to ask.

"No," Jason replied, his voice sounding amused. Tim still could not see his eyes, or his ever-present helmet. He could see from the silhouette that Jason was not wearing said helmet. "Not looking for favors, either. I'm not wounded. Maybe a little battered and bruised, but not from today." Jason finally shifted from his perch, and Tim could see that he was - in fact - in casual clothing. Leather jacket notwithstanding.

"Okay," Tim sighed. "What do you need from me, Jason?"

Jason glared at him, a little too intently to Tim's liking, a tad making Tim wondered if the 'not looking for favors' or 'not planning on bludgeoning Tim' part of his presence were lies. When he tossed something toward Tim, he was almost ready to reach for the vase to throw back before his eyes caught a glimpse of the 'thing'.

A photograph.

A photograph of Tim, to be exact, in his Robin costume. In fact, if Tim's memories serve correctly - and they usually do, barring concussions - that photo had to be taken in the second year of his patrols with Batman. He knew each and every the alterations on his costume quite well.

"That's me," he noted.

"Yes." Jason's voice was flat. "The instant I saw the little robin behind your photo, I knew who you were."

"Who I was?" Tim asked, a little confused.

"Ra's Al Ghul has a graphite sketch of Melisande, Talia's mother, hung in his private chalet in Switzerland. Even Talia didn't know why it was there, since  _he_  had killed her. Or so she said. White Ghost said Melisande was murdered by an apprentice of Ra's. The other guys said he saw a lotus behind her that he didn't draw." Jason explained. "Back then, before the creation of a photography camera, people saw their soulmates when they paint them. There were so,  _so_  many painters back then who'd marry their models - not because they were exceptionally beautiful, but because the painter  _saw_  it."

"Oh..." Tim looked at the photo, and then it hit him. " _Oh_!"

"Yeah, ' _Oh_ '. I took that photo. Imagine how  _I'd_  felt when I saw it and realized what it means, and that Talia practically had challenged me to kill you."

"Not good." Tim commented.

"Not good at all." Jason agreed.

They were silent for some long moments, before Tim gathered enough of his thoughts, and courage, to ask. "So what now?"

Jason shrugged. "Now, well, we're not killing and/or punching each other. And you know what I'm supposed to be for you and vice versa. How about we just live life one day at a time?"

He was actually standing  _near_  Jason, by the windows. Jason was still looking out the window, but Tim could make out the red flush on his face.

"Do you..." he started, waving his hands and inwardly cursing his eloquence.

"Just as a reminder that I'm still a dangerous person." Jason said, inhaling sharply.

"Yeah, that I kinda can't forget..." Tim deadpanned. "So you want to live up to the soulmate thingy and live one day at a time, see where it would bring us?"

"That's about it in a nutshell." Jason fiddled with something. Tim took a step back, assessing. Realizing that there was no more alarm blaring in him. "That is, if you're okay with it." Jason added hastily, as if an afterthought.

"Okay," Tim said, feeling a little proud that his voice didn't crack or waver.

"Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. One day at a time."

Jason suddenly brightened, his whole face sparkled - metaphorically, thank goodness - and Tim could remember clearly where he had seen such expression.

A long time ago.

On the first photograph of Robin - Jason in Robin costume - where Tim had seen his soulmate. In the same form that Jason had seen in the photo of Tim.

"Great!" Jason exclaimed. "Now, you had your dinner or not? 'Cause I've heard of this great old diner, one of Gotham's few that's not been destroyed by whoever villain-du-jour the Bat is facing, down at Tricorner. Wanna go and try it?"

"In costume or not?" Tim asked - just as precaution.

Jason huffed and scowled. "Eh, one day at a time, right?"

"Costume it is." Tim realized. It would be least awkward if their... extended 'family' has seen them if they were in costume.

"Costume it is. We'll get there next time." Jason agreed.


End file.
